Shed Long Jr the star again as Mariners top Rockies 2-1

SEATTLE (AP) — Shed Long Jr. followed up his grand statement from last weekend with another game-winning swing for the Seattle Mariners.

It's been a special couple of days for Long in his attempt to overcome injuries and rediscover the potential he showed a couple of years ago.

“I’m trying to come in and be the best version of me that I can be every day no matter what. Not just the 2019 version,” Long said. “I’m trying to be the best version of me. I want to be better than the 2019 version.”

Long hit his second straight decisive homer Tuesday night against Colorado. This time it was a solo shot with one out in the eighth inning that lifted Seattle over the Rockies 2-1 for the Mariners' fifth straight victory.

Two days after Long hit a game-ending grand slam in the 10th inning to complete a four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, the left-handed hitter came through again with another late long ball for the Mariners.

Long drove a 1-1 pitch from Tyler Kinley (1-2) to straightaway center field. It was the second straight appearance in which Kinley gave up homer, after he blew a save opportunity last Saturday against Milwaukee.

“It’s hard to hit a ball out to dead center here and know it’s gone the minute you hit it,” Seattle manager Scott Servais said. “He certainly got all of that one.”

Paul Sewald (4-2) worked the eighth inning for Seattle to get the win, and Kendall Graveman pitched the ninth for his sixth save and first since May 16.

The Mariners have won eight of nine.

Seattle starter Chris Flexen was on the cusp of another dominant performance before C.J. Cron’s homer with two outs in the seventh inning pulled the Rockies even at 1.

Cron caught up to a 95 mph fastball and drove it to right-center field for his 10th...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Shed-Long-Jr-the-star-again-as-Mariners-top-16266991.php